Chooser of the Slain
by AllTheShips8
Summary: Male Lucy is a valkyrie, and female Natsu is just the barbarian he wants to recruit. However, when female Natsu declines his invitation, male Lucy suggests a quick fight, female Natsu can't refuse.


Chooser of the Slain

Male Lucy = Luke

Female Natsu = Natsumi

Male Wendy = Wynn

Female Romeo = Rowen (mentioned)

Male Mavis = Maverick (mentioned)

"I am looking for the warrior known as Natsumi!" a male voice called across the barbarian barrack dining hall. All conversation ceased immediately.

Natsumi lifted her head from where she ate. Wiping her one sleeved arm across her mouth, she stood, facing the open doors. "Who calls me?" Taking in a sharp breath, Natsumi observed the male figure.

He flashed her a suggestive smile, his lips turning up on one side, allowing her to see perfectly straight white teeth. He had golden hair that lay against his shoulders, and milky brown eyes. His toned figure left nothing to the imagination beneath his armor. Natsumi checked the unknown man out starting with his feet, which were clad in metal boots that came to his knees, a small emblem of wings on his ankles, as well as metal wings what wound around his thighs. The man wore a rather uncomfortably tight pair of metal shorts, perfectly forming to the man's hips and bottom. His abdomen was uncovered, revealing abs that Natsumi was sure took the man years to perfect – and she was glad he had. His chest armor covered only his shoulders and pectorals, with a small metal collar to cover the sides of his neck. His forearms were covered by metal gauntlets, while his helmet covered his ears, extending down between his eyebrows and into a fine point, with a set of wings protruding from his temples past the back of his head.

"I have a proposition for you," the man told her, once her eyes had met his. He had not missed that she checked him out, though several others were as well.

"I'm gonna have to say no," Natsumi told him.

Luke raised one of his eyebrows. Natsumi was a rather petite woman, though he could clearly see the muscle definition in her arm as her muscles twitched. She wore metal boots, with one arm covered in a metal sleeve; a metal helmet sit beside her, which extended down on either side of her face, with two long horns sticking from each side. Her hair was a short pixie cut of pink locks, which fascinated Luke. He had to have her. She wore metal chainmail over her bust, and a chainmail skirt over pants made of hide. Finally, she wore one gauntlet made of hide, and wrappings of cloth around her midsection, protected by a metal and fur belt. But better than her looks, was her ability to fight. Luke had been watching her for some time now, slowly building his team of warriors over the last year. Now, he wanted Natsumi to top it off.

"And why would that be?" Luke asked, amused.

"Well, I don't know what 'permpetishion' (perm-et-ih-she-on) means," she explained.

"Proposition," Luke offered, "means I have an offer to make to you."

"Well, what is it?"

Luke bowed, stepping back with his right foot, and placing his right hand upon his chest with his left extended out flat. "I am here to recruit you as a warrior to aid in the eternal protection of Valhalla." Standing to his full height once more, Luke was surprised to see a look of disinterest upon Natsumi's face.

"Okay, what's the pay. And I'll need to get my team together," she explained, reaching behind her for her helmet and a leg of some type of meat.

"I'm afraid you've misunderstood," Luke explained, flashing a dazzling smile and placing one of his hands upon her shoulder. "I have chosen you."

"Okay, yah, lots of folk come in and request members. Still didn't tell me what the pay would be."

"The pay," Luke removed his hand, "is eternal life in Valhalla, at my side, and amongst the other warriors I have chosen."

Natsumi scrunched up her face, "Eternal life? And who are you to give me that?"

Luke smirked, ready to reel her in. "Why, I am Luke Hartfillia, Valkyrie hand chosen by Lord Odin himself! Now, my dear, let us be off!"

"Off where?" Natsumi asked, following Luke out of the hall as the other barbarians watched, gossip starting as soon as the pair exited the hall. Outside of the hall, Natsumi stopped in the area typically used for sparring practice amongst the group. "And what's a Valkyrie?"

Luke sighed; recruiting Natsumi was far harder than he had anticipated. He turned back to the warrior woman. "A Valkyrie," he explained, "is one chosen by Lord Odin to decide who lives and dies in battle, as well as those who are worthy of protecting Valhalla – the hall of the slain."

"Hall of the slain? But I'm not dead!" Natsumi exclaimed.

"That is why we must go and find you a battle to die in," Luke explained slowly, as if it had been obvious.

"What! No way!" Natsumi exclaimed, taking a step back. "Why would I go somewhere just to die!"

"So that you may follow me back to Valhalla!" Luke yelled, exasperated.

"No way! That's crazy! I'm not doing it!"

"But I have chosen you."

"Choose someone else!" Natsumi turned to walk back into the hall to finish her meal, when Luke spoke in a confident and soft tone.

"How about a fight?"

Natsumi looked back over her shoulder at him. "Yah? What for?"

"To determine if you really are as strong as I believe you are?" Luke offered, a confident smile playing his lips. He had watched the woman for long enough to know her short temper, and her unquenchable thirst for fighting. "If I win, you will follow me back to Valhalla for all eternity."

Natsumi turned fully now, placing her helmet upon her head with a wide, toothy grin. "And if you lose?"

" _If_ I lose, which I highly doubt is possible, I shall personally oversee your future battles, ensuring that death does not come to you – no promise of injury – and will let go of any further pursuits to recruit you."

Natsumi thought for a moment. "Fine, but you must also watch over my friends."

"Deal." Luke watched as Natsumi drew her sword, a glowing red pattern appearing upon the weapon. Of course, Luke knew the human world had all sorts of enchanted weapons. As it happens, his Natsumi fancied those enchanted by fire. "Excellent choice of weapon."

"Thanks," Natsumi grinned, adrenalin rushing through her veins. "I call him Igneel."

Luke summoned his twin swords. "I have also named my swords – Castor and Pollux. They were gifts from Tyndareus, king of Sparta. He had once called them Gemini."

"That's cool and all, but are we going to fight or what?" Natsumi bounced impatiently.

"I do believe we need a referee, don't you?" When Natsumi sighed, but nodded in agreement, Luke called out, "Wynn!"

A young boy appeared, with blue hair to his shoulders, and a pair of white wings from his back. He wore a yellow and blue tunic, with a metal helmet, boots, and gauntlets the same as Luke's. Natsumi looked up at the boy, bewildered to see a boy in the sky.

"Natsumi, this is Wynn. He is a newly appointed Valkyrie. He shall be our referee." When Natsumi didn't respond, Luke tried again. "Are you ready? Or do you wish to concede?"

Natsumi turned her attention back to Luke, a low growl escaping her throat. "You wish! You're just afraid because you know I'm going to win!"

Natsumi charged at Luke, sword over her shoulder for a heavy swing. Luke easily deflected, using one of his swords to deflect hers before it reached his side.

"Um, begin?" Wynn spoke timidly, watching the pair. He briefly wondered if this is how all selections of those accepted to Valhalla were, as he had not yet chosen even one. Although, he had been watching a young warrior in training known as Rowena.

"Stop deflecting and come at me!" Natsumi yelled, clearly frustrated as Luke pushed her back using both of his swords, having just attacked him with an overhead swing, only to be deflected by Luke making an X with his swords above his head.

"As you wish."

Luke swiftly sidestepped as Natsumi swung another overhead attack, kicking the girl in the rear and sending her toppling over to the ground. As Luke spun to place his sword at her neck, Natsumi kicked her feet out, and grabbed ahold of Luke's sword with her hand protected by her metal gauntlet. Digging her heels into the ground, and with a firm grip upon his sword, the force of Luke falling backwards pulled Natsumi up to stand on her feet.

"Ah-ha!" She called, gripping her sword with both hand as she jabbed it toward the ground, right where Luke's face should have been. At the last second, Luke rolled to his side to avoid Natsumi's attack. He felt the heat radiating off her sword, and heard the metal at his shoulder collide with her blade. "I told you to stop moving!"

"No, you told me to stop deflecting. That was avoidance. Different," Luke offered, quickly getting to his feet as Natsumi pulled her sword from the ground, dirt flying as she readied it once more.

"Stop making fun of me! You're just some pretty boy!" Natsumi yelled in anger.

"Luke flashed her a dazzling smile once more, flipping his golden locks out of his face. "You think I'm pretty?"

"Ahh!" Natsumi charged at Luke, furiously slashing her blade at either side of his face. Occasionally Luke would feel the head of her blade as it roughly hit his armor, but neither managed to make blade-to-skin contact.

Luke continued to sidestep and deflect Natsumi's attacks. Eventually, the woman would get tired, he was sure. But as attack after attack came, metal hitting metal, and several close calls for Luke that he was unhappy about, he grew tired of their dance. "Enough!" Luke yelled, as he was pushed back from a rough jab from Natsumi's blade. From several blows, the metal of his armor was becoming uncomfortably warm. White feathered wings sprung from Luke's back; and as he pushed himself into the sky, discarded his armor with a _thud-clank_ on the ground. "This ends now!"

Natsumi looked up in astonishment at Luke. He had shed his armor, and beautiful, wide-spread wings had appeared behind him. The sun had begun to set, painting a backdrop of gold and pink behind the stunning man. She was mesmerized as his figure came closer to her, noticing he had a tattoo of a raven sitting atop a swan on his pectoral.

"Oof!" Natsumi only realized that she had spaced out during their fight when she hit the ground, her weapon being thrown across the grounds. Instead of one of the large blades Luke had been fighting with before, a smaller blade with a leather handle was held against his throat. "Where in Maverick did that come from?"

Luke smirked down upon the woman beneath him, her helmet having been knocked from her head moments ago, he could see her face perfectly. Both fighters were covered in sweat and dirt from the ground, but neither could deny that the other was stunning. "This is Virgo, I use him to get me out of tight situations. Or, when I need to punish someone."

"You cheated," Natsumi pouted, squirming under Luke's weight as he straddled her waist.

"You're upset because you lost," Luke offered. "It's understandable. Anybody would be upset if they spaced out during a fight."

"No way! I obviously fought better! You're not even a real warrior! You're just some weird fairy or something with a sword!"

"I am no fairy; I am a Valkyrie – a warrior. And last I checked, there were very few women warriors, so you are clearly the weird one between us."

"As if! Since when do warriors dress like that! You're revealing vital areas! It makes no sense!"

Luke frowned, looking down upon his being clad only in his helmet, shorts, and boots at this point. "It is tradition. Valkyries always dress like this."

Natsumi turned her head away from the knife at her throat, pouting and puffing out her cheeks. "Well it's a stupid tradition! It doesn't even protect you, just makes you look dumb and distracting."

"Either way, you lost," Luke proclaimed, making his knife Virgo disappear into golden light.

"Now what?" Natsumi asked.

Luke grabbed her face, forcing her to look back at him. Though his face was now much closer than before, and Natsumi blushed. "Now, my dear." Luke leaned down even further, their mouths almost touching. "You come with me to Valhalla."

Natsumi felt Luke's mouth connect with hers. She had never been kissed like this before, and when Luke pushed his tongue into her mouth, she fought back with her own. Luke wasn't sure why he had kissed Natsumi after the battle, though when she began to kiss back he didn't care. As their mouths worked together, hers hot against his, he thought about moving forward – after all, it wasn't uncommon for a Valkyrie to take a lover.

~in the sky~

Wynn had gone bright red once he saw Luke kiss the female warrior – Natsumi. And it became clear to him then, that this was not the normal protocol when recruiting. Not at all.


End file.
